Automatic starter for electric motors.



J. B. GALDERWOOD.

AUTOMATIG STARTER FOB. ELECTRIC MOTORS.

APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 30, 1904.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

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J. B. CA'LDBRWUOD. AUTOMATIC STARTER FOB ELECTRIC MOTUES APPLICATION FILED mm 30, 1904 2 SHBETS-SHEET 's uccessivo.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. CALDERWOOD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIB-OHAIMEBB GOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

Application filed December 30,, 1984. Serial No. 238,854.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. Canon-swoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at, Milwaukee, countyp'f Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Starters for Electric Motors, of which the following'is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic starters for electric motors.

It is general] necessary in starting a motor that the fol voltage of the line be not applied to the terminals of the motor.iinmediately, for as at first the impressed electromotive force is not opposed by'any coun -ter-electromotive force the motor is otherwise liable to be greatly damaged by an excessive rush of current. It is often desirable that the subsequent increase in the electromotive force applied to the terminals of a motor as the motor approaches its maximum speed, be automatic, so that no attention is required other than the closing of the main switch.

It is the object of my invention to obtain such an automatic action while fully protecting the motor a ainst too heavy current. In attaining this obyect, a resistance, or each of several, sections of a resistance, in the armature circuit of the. motor has connected in shunt to it a normally open switch, which, upon the closing of the motor circuit, is first moved farther'away from its closed position, and then moved to its closed position to cut out the resistance. The closing ofthe switches, if there be more than one, is preferabl The movements of the switcli o switches is preferably obtained by electromagnets, the magnets which move them away rom closed position preferably being connect d in series with the motor armature while ti oselwhich move them to closed position are referably connected in parallel return of the switches to normal position; after they have been moved farthest away from closed position may be retarded by the gradually weakening magnets in series with the motor armature, or 1by hsome other time element device, or by The various novel features of my invention ,will appear from the description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a send-diagrammatic view of a system embodying my invention, some of the parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line ww of Fig.

tor 3, the solenoid 4,- the conductor 5, the

solenoid 6, the'conductor 7, the contact 8, theconductor 9, the resistance 10, the conductor 11, the motor armature 2, the conductor l2, and the switch 1, to the other side of the line. The shunt field circuit of the motor extends from one side of the line through the conductor 14, the magnet 15, the conductor 16, the magnet 17, the conductor 18, the magnet 19, the conductor 20, the magnet 21, the conductor 22, the 'shunt field winding 23, and the conduct 24, to the conductor 12, which is connects to the other side of the line. The resistance 10 may be sectional, if desired, with any desired number of sections, there bein two sections in each of the modifications i lust-rated.- These sections may be short-circuited respectively by switches 25 and 34. The movable members of these switches cooperate with the fixed contacts 8 and 30, and 36 and 37, respectively. The switches are biased to the ,open position illustrated in full lines, as by springs 26 and 56 respectively, these springs bearing against the switches and the parts 60' and 60 of the frame of the apparatus. Attached to the switches 25 and 34 are the cores 27 and 33 of the solenoids 6 and 4, and the armatures 27 and 33 of the electromagnets 19 and 21, respectively. The attachment of the cores to the switches ma be either permanent or releasable, as will ereinafter appear. The solenoids 6 and 4 tend to move the switches 25 and 34 farther away from their normal open (position to the upper position shown in dotte lines, while the magnets 19 and 21 tend to close said switches or move them to the lower dotted line osition illustrated.

The description so ar given applies either to the arran ement of Fig. 1 or to the arrangement 0 Fig. 4, save that the magnets 15 and 17 are absent in the latter.

Referring now particularly to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, upon the closing of the switch 1 the field and armature cir- 'cuits of the motor are completed. Because the motor armature current is comparatively large at this time, and also, perhaps, because the time constant of the armature circuit is less than that of the field circuit, the solenoids 6 and 4 lift their cores 27 and 33 and the arts attached thereto a ainst the action of t e magnets 19 and 21. he switches 25 and 34 are thus brought into the up er dotted line position,-or are moved fart er away from their closed position. Each of the solenoid cores in its upward movement also pushes upward a 'rod 29 and a rack-bar 47, guided by a roller 59; the rack-bar moves the pinion 48 in a counter-clockwise direction but, on account of the pawl and ratchet 51, does not turn the shaft 49 or the disk 35 carried thereby. For this reason the upward movement of the cores 'is unretarded.

If the 'core 27 is releasably attached to the switch 25, the movement of said core and switch to the upper dotted line position causes the projection 42 on the frame of the solenoid 6 to release the latch 41 from the finger 28, thus disengaging the core 27 from the switch 25. The switch now begins to descend by the action of gravity, assisted by the gradually increasing attraction of the magnet 19 for its approaching armature 27'. However, since the switch 25 is still connected through the rod 29 and rack-bar 47 to the pinion 48, this downward movement turns such pinion in a clockwise direction; the mo\ vment of the pinion is communicated through the pawl 50 and ratchet 51 to the shaft 49 and the Faradays disk 35. Since this disk rotates between the poles 52 of the ma et 17 its turnin movement develops ed y currents within it, so that the downward movement of the switch 25 is retarded. The rack-bar 47 is made in two parts, the upper part being loosely mounted on the re 54 extending upward from the lower art. The division between the two parts is such that the lower part passes out of engagemcnt with the pinion 48 when the switch arm 25 approaches its closed or lower dotted line position, so that the last partof the closing movement may be unretanded. The final closing movement, from the full line position to the lower dotted line position, is caused entirely by the magnet 19. The closing of the switch 25 short-circuits the righthund section of the resistance 10, thereby raising the voltage impressed on the terminals ot the armature 2 and increasing the armature current. the latter having decreased somewhnt because of the increase in speed and counter-electromotive force of the motor during the time required for the closing of the switch As the motor now continues to increase in speed the armature current again decreases and the solenoid 4 exerts a gradually decreased I'm-cc on its core '33. This core and the parts attached thereto now begin to 'dro under the in:

fiuence of gravity and o the magnet 21..

The downward movement is retarded, however, both by the adually weakening solenoid 4 and by the i araday s disk 35 operatin between the poles 52, of the magnet 15. T is disk 35 retards the switch 34 in precisely the same manner as the disk 35 cooperating with the magnet 17 retards the switch 25. As the switch 34 approaches its closed position, the disk 35 ceases its retarding action becausemf the disengagement with the lower part of the rack-bar 47 and the pinion 48,and the electromagnet 21 attracts its armature 33' and closes the switch I 34 with a quick action to short-circuit theleft hand section of the resistance 10. This ppnnects the armature 2 directly across the me.

There may be as many sections of re-' sistance 10 as desired, there being a corresponding number of switches 25 and 34 with their cooperating parts. The solenoids of these switches, such as the solenoids 4 and 6, are wound with the proper number of turns to cause the successive closing of. the sew eral switches. The values of current at which the solenoids 4 and 6 let their cores drop maybe adjustable, as by brass nuts 57 for limiting the upward movement of such cores. These nuts gage the brass sleeves '58 with in the sole oids, This successive closing may be further insured by making the windings 53 of the various retarding magnets such as 15 and 17, of difl'erent numbers 0. turns, so that the switches which are to be later closed are retarded more strongly than those which are to be earlier closed. The successive closing of the switches may further insured by means of certain barriers which prevent the closing of any later-closing switch until the next earlier-closing switch has been closed. Thus the armature 33' attached to theswitch 34 carries a stop 43 which normaily projects over the end of an arm 44 of the bell-crank lever 45. The engagement of the stop 43 and the arm 44 normally prevents the closing of the switch The armature 27' carries a projection 46 which engages the'bell-crank lever 45 as the switch 25 is moved to closed position,

and thus moves the arm 44 of such lever out of the path of the stop 43. Then, and not can the switch 34 be closed.

until then,

When it is desired to stop the motor the switch 1 is opened to break the motor Lir cuits. The springs 26 and 56 thenmove tie switches 25 and 34 from the lowcr dottjerf line positions illustrated to the normally open or full line position, and the appnra-'-- tus is immediutctv ready operation above de cribed.

in some case Hu n-lurdiug disks 35 with their cobperating parts are preferably omitted. It is also sometimes desirable to make the attachment between the core 27 and the switch 25 non-releasable, as is the case between the core 33 and the switch 34. An arrangement omitting both these features is shown in Fig. 4. Upon "the closing decreases, the solenoids 6 and 4 gradually weaken. The solenoid tihas the fewer number of turns and allows its core 27 to descend first, under the action of gravity and the magnet 19. The switch 25 passes through its normal or full line position and is brought by the magnet 19 into its closed or lower dotted line position, thus cutting out the first section of the resistance 10. This causes an increase 'in the electromotive force impressed on the armature terminals and in the current in the armature. As the motor continues to increase in speed and its counter electromotive force continues to rise, the armature current weakens again and the solenoid 4 allows its core 38 to drop under the action of gravity and the magnet 21, and the switch 34 is brought to its closed position by the magnet 21. Thus cuts out the second section of the resistance 10 and connects the motor armature directly across the line. As in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, there may be any desired number of switches 25 or 34., either more or less than the number shown.

Many modifications may he made in the precise arrangements shown and described, and all such which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention I aim to cover in the following claims:

What I claim as new is:

1. The combination of an electric switch biased to an open position, means for firstmoving said switch farther away from its closed position, and means for thereafter moving said switch to its closed position.

2. In combination, an electric motor, a resistance in circuit with said motor, a switch for short-circuiting said resistance, said switch being biased to an open position, an electromagnet ener ized upon the closing of the, motor circuit or moving said switch farther away from its closed position, and means for thereafter moving said switch to its closed position.

3. In a starting device for electric motors, the combination of a resistance, a switch which in one position short-circuits said resistance,"a.switk h being biased to another position, in rendered operative upon the closing of t'he motor circuit to move said switch to a third position farther removed from its short-circuiting position, and means for thereafter moving said switch to its short-circuiting position.

4. In combination, a motor, a resistance in the armature circuit thereof, a switch for short-circuiting said resistance, said switch bein biased to an open position from which it is movable both to closed position and to a position farther removed from closed position, two electromagnets tending to move said switch respectively to closed osition and to the position farther away rom closed position, the former of said magnets being in a path parallel to that including the motor armature and the other magnet being in series with the motor armature.

5. In combination, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in the armature circuit thereof, switches for short-circuiting the several sections of said resistance, said switches being biased to an open position, means rendered operative upon the closing of the motor circuit for moving said switches farther away from their closed position, and means for thereafter moving said switches successively to closed position.

6. In combination, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in the armature circuit thereof, switches which in one position respectively cut out different parts of said sectional resistance, said switches being biased to aposition in which they do not cut out the resistance. clectromagnets in series with the motor armature for moving the respective switches farther away from their cutting-out position, and other electromagnets for thereafter moving said switches successively to cutting out position.

7. In combination, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in the armature circuit thereof, switches for cutting out sections of said resistance, said switches being biased to a. position in which they do not cut out such -resistance, solenoids in series with the motor armature and tending to move said switches farther awayfrom their cutting-out positions, and means for thereafter moving said switches to cutting-out position.

8. In combinatlon, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in the armature circuit thereof, switches for cutting out sections of said resistance, said switches being biased to a position in which they do not cut out such resistance, solenoids in series with the motor armature and tending to move said switches farther away from their cuttingout positions, and means for thereafter moving said switches successively to cutting-out position.

9. In combination, an electric motor, a resistance in the armature circuit thereof, a switch for cutting out said resistanc, said switch being biased to a position in which it does not cut out said resistance, an eiectromagnet in the armature circuit of the motor for moving said switch from the position to which it is biased to another" position farther away from its cutting-out position, and means for moving the switch to its cuttingout vosition when on account of the increase in t e motor speed the current in said electromagnet has decreased sufficiently.

10. In combination, an electric motor, a resistance in circuit therewith, a switch which when closed cuts out such resistance, said switch being normally open, an electromagnet responsive to varlations in the current taken by such motor and tending to open such switch wider, and means tending to close such switch.

11. The combination of an. electric switch biased to an open position, means for first moving said switch farther way from its closed position, means for thereafter moving said switch to its closed position, and means for retarding the closing movement of said switch.

12. In combination, an electric motor, a resistance in the armature circuit thereof, a switch for cutting out said resistance, said switch being biased to aposition in which it does not cut out said resistance, an electromagnet in the armature circuit of the motor for moving said switch from the position in which it is biased to another position farther away from its cutting-out position, means for moving the switch to its cuttingout position when on account of the increase in the motor speed the current in said electromagnet has decreased sufliciently, and v.

means for retarding the movement of the switch away from the position to which it is moved by said electromagnet.

13. In combination, an electric motor, a resistance in circuit therewith, a switch which in its lowest position cuts out such resistance, an electromagnet responsive to the current taken by the motor and tending to hold said switch above its lowest position, and a second electromagnet tending to move said switch to its lowest position.

14. In combination, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in circuit therewith, switches for short-circuiting the several sections of said resistance, electromagnets responsive to variations in the counterelectromotive force of the motor for controlling the closing of said switches, and mechanical interlocking means between the switches to insure their closing in the proper order.

15. In combination, an electric motor, a sectional resistance in circuit therewith, switches for short-circuiting the several sections of said resistance, electron'zagnets carrying currents proportional to the current taken by said motor and opposing the closing of said switches, other electromagnets tending to close said switches, and mechanical interlocking means between the switches for preventing their closing in any other than the proper order.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. CALDERVVOOD.

Witnesses JAB. B. Enwm, Nnnmn Z. TAUGIIER. 

